The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-08
STATISTICS.

/ STATISTICS.
| Through State Statistician Peelle we have
received the report of the fifth national con-
vention of the Bureaus of Statistics of Labor
held at Madison, Wis, last June to 10. The
report furnishes some interesting information
as to the growth of what might be called the
statistical idea in this country, or in other
/ words the idea of collecting and tabulating
| statistics for practical use. New commun-
| ties and unorganized societies have little use
for statistics, and do not possess the ma
| chinery disposition to collect them. Older
| States realize their importance as furnishing
| an insight into the inner workings of society,
| the data for legislation and general informa-
| ton of practical value. The number of sta
! tistcal bureaus is steadily increasing. The
| first conventional the kind was held at Column
| bus o., in September, 1888. AT that time
| eleven States had established departments of
| this character. Each annual convention since
that time has had an increased representation,
| the last one showing twenty State bureaus,
increase of nine in four years., besides the
United States bureau. This increase can be
attributed to no other cause than the popular
demand for correct data the labor question
and growing appreciation of the Importance
of such statistics. An interesting feature of
the late convention was the brief statements
of the different State superintendent as to
the main subjects to be discussed in. their
forthcoming reports. These reports show tie
practical direction taken by the inquiries now
being pressed in different parts of the labor
field. Mr.. Carroll D. Wright, chief of the
Massachusetts, bureau. said their report this
year would relate to the distribution of wealth
and the total time lost by the clos
ing up of industries and the non-employ-
ment of labor. In Ohio the superintendent
said the workingmen are turning their atten-
ton to the arbitration of trade disputes. In
New York they will give prominence to the
condition of workingwomen and of boy labor,
which is prolific cause of trouble. The
Michigan report will treat mainly of the land
question; that is, whether the land is occu-
pied by owner or tenant, the amount Of land
number of acres improved and unimproved
number of acres owned not mortgaged, its
assessed valuation, the number of acres mort
gagged and its assessed valuation, the amount
of the mortgage Indebtedness, the rate of
interest paid, etc. The Wisconsin superin-
tendent said they would endeavor to show in
their next report the profits. peculiarities,
drawbacks, moral and physical dangers, and
the opportunities for promotion in the lead
-
furnishes the most inviting field for young
men. In Iowa the principal features will be
convict labor and taxation, together with
tables of wages, cost of living, etc. The
Missouri report will relate to manufactures
transportation and mining, cost of plant,
amount of insurance, number of employees,
value of product, etc. In Kansas the subject
of pauperism in cities and towns will be
discussed, and in Minnesota the distribution
of wealth. From the variety of these topics,
all relating directly to the interests of labor
but scarcely less to the interests of society at
large, it is evident there is great activity
among those who are prosecuting these in
quiries and that the information thus obtained
will be of great value. These topics relate to
the work of only one year, and it is going on
from year to year. Some of the papers read
at the convention were very interesting and
may be referred to hereafter. The following
extract from the address of the chairman
shows that in this as in other fields where
the best results are desired, the intrusion of
politics is deprecated. The chairman said:
II have often pointed out to the members
of this convention the dangers which may
arise should the bureaus become the objects
of political contest; that is, should they be
considered by the State governments under
which they act as places for ordinary political
service. Nothing be detrimental
to the permanent uses for which the bureaus
have been established. Let it be granted, if
you WISH that they have been established in
accordance with the demand of labor alone;
let it be granted if you wish, that they have
been organized for scientific purposes; or let
it be granted that they have been organized
that capital may learn all the conditions of
labor; what has all this to do with the legti-
mate work committed to charged 1t is
our bounden duty to see to it that nothing
goes to the people that is not absolute truth,
SO far as it lies in power to give the
truth. In this lies the keynote of the sue
cess of the bureaus"
The convention selected Indianapolis as its
next place of meeting.